Brian: Dark hair, dark eyes, shorter, great fashion sense but not fixated on name brands. Someone with style.

Beth: Physically, I tend to like dark hair, and I’m definitely more attracted to guys who are fit and somewhat muscular. Straight teeth are pretty important, too. Personality-wise, it’s hard to pinpoint, but some people just “sparkle.”

Happiest when ...

Brian: I’m strangely never down. It’s weird, I know, but I’m known to be positive 99 percent of the time. Peak happiness? Friday driving home from the office, although I love my job. Or, actually, about to leave for vacation or a long weekend. I love going somewhere.

Beth: I love group fitness, and there is such an emotional high associated with a really inspirational class where you push your limits. I’m also happiest when hanging out with friends or my mom and just having a really fun time.

Dream date ...

Brian: Writer who works in a coffee shop. Gallery curator who runs half-marathons. Graphic designer who bikes to work. Architect who loves to find new bands.

(Courtesy of the daters)

Beth: The people I end up really, really liking are often so different from what I imagine I would like. But if I had to describe what I think I would like in a date, it would be someone with the personality of Jim from “The Office,” but who is a group fitness instructor and likes to cook (because I don’t like to cook at all!).

Interests to share ...

Brian: Music is important to me. I don’t play it, but I spend a lot of time listening and would love someone to go to shows with. I’m interested in design and art, but as hobbies, not as a lifestyle. I don’t typically connect with people that haven’t traveled much — leaves a big void in the conversation. I go to the gym five days a week.

Beth: I spend a lot of time at the gym — it’s where all my friends are! — and I would hope to share the interest of working out. If he likes group fitness, we just might be soul mates!

About the date ...

7:30 p.m., Cafe Milano, Georgetown

Brian: I work with mostly guys and they’re all really cool, but most of them have families. Everyone’s always coming up with people to set me up with. I don’t know if they think I need the help, or what. [They told me], “We’re going to [apply to Date Lab] for you, or you’re going to do it.”

Beth: I was dating someone for, like, three years, [and] we broke up last March. Then one day I was just like, hey, I should sign up for Date Lab! That’s why I broke up with the guy, so I could do fun things like that! My sister and her boyfriend came over and my sister straightened my hair, and I had been going back and forth [about] what to wear, so I modeled outfits and they unanimously chose one.

Brian: I got [to the restaurant] in perfect time. I was playing with my phone, reading e-mails. I wasn’t looking up so all of a sudden she was right there at the table. I stood up [and] shook her hand.

Beth: I could tell he was a little shy, slightly nervous, but very nice. Normally I say my type is more dark hair and dark eyes. [But] maybe I don’t have a type, my last boyfriend had light eyes. [Brian] had light brown hair and lighter eyes, so not what I think of as my type, but still totally good-looking.

Brian: She certainly looked nice, and she looked happy, which was cool. She’s my type; she fits the profile of what I would normally [go for]. She’s cute, [but] I wouldn’t go much further than that. [The waiter] brought prosecco, which was a really nice way to break the ice.

Beth: He was very open. We had a lot in common. I lived in Italy for two years, and he spent a whole bunch of summer vacations [there]. I asked about his job and he asked about mine, and that’s when I mentioned the group fitness thing, and that led really easily into a discussion of working out. We laughed a lot in general; it made me feel so good. We were talking about a core workout I teach, and he was like, “Oh, I’m interested in learning about this.” And I don’t even remember what he said, but my answer was, like, “Absolutely.” And I paused and said, “No pun intended!” And he laughed so hard, and it was great.

Brian: She’s not a comedian, but she’s got a really dry, witty sense of humor. The conversation was excellent, and I think we both were pretty engaged.

Beth: [There] wasn’t, like, huge flirtation or anything, but definitely we were getting to know each other. It really was fun, and when we took pictures, he put his arm around me and things like that. We weren’t really saying anything, but you could just tell, he was getting a little bit closer or whatever.

Brian: I wouldn’t say that we were flirting. Maybe entry-level flirting, you know, just sort of trying to make each other laugh. As far as my attraction to her, physical attraction, I wouldn’t say it changed. I definitely was thinking, Oh, she’s cool. She has a lot of interesting things to say. We were talking, talking, talking, and [at] 10:30, I was like, “I gotta go.” I’m up early, so it was a long day. I walked her [to her car] and gave her a hug, kissed her on the cheek, [and] said goodbye. It was fairly natural and normal, no awkwardness.

Beth: [On the way home] I totally felt energized, and I’m a complete extrovert, and spending all evening with someone who’s fun, I felt like I couldn’t sleep right away. I had to calm back down. I will rate [the date] 4.75 [out of 5]. I was thinking, Should I just give it a 5 because it was really fun? But then I was like, Should I give it a perfect score, because what if he doesn’t give it a perfect score? I don’t know what would have made it a 5. Maybe if I was like, “Well, this is The One.” I don’t have that feeling. But it was pretty darn fun.

Brian: I fully intended to text her when I got home to make sure she got home, [but] I promptly fell asleep, so I had to write her [the next] morning and say I’m sorry. I would [rate the date] a 3.75. To be honest, I don’t know that it’s likely [we’ll go out again]. It was a good date, the match was right on, but I didn’t necessarily feel like there was that thing that made me go home and wake up this morning thinking, Oh, man, I want to see this girl again.

UPDATE: They exchanged texts days after their date, but nothing since.“I’d be up for a drink or coffee,” Brian says. “Maybe we can connect as friends.” Says Beth: “If we get together it’ll be fine, [but it] sounds like maybe we won’t.”

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